


Don't Wait

by lm2329



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Angst, Declarations Of Love, Drama & Romance, F/M, Love Confessions, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-22
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2019-10-14 10:20:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17506733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lm2329/pseuds/lm2329
Summary: This story takes place immediately after the final events of COG. Newt and Tina struggle to express their feelings for each other.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My first Archive fanfiction! First up: Tina and Jacob have a talk.

"Hide the teaspoons," Newt said as his niffler hunkered deeper in his coat's interior pocket. He walked next to Dumbledore, the sounds of their footsteps echoing against the thin sheen of fog that drifted across the pathway. His stride felt sure against the hard clay as memories of walking to class or Quidditch practice surfaced in his mind. As the professor pointed out recent improvements to the building's facade ("Newt, remember when Josie Finn stunned that gargoyle?"), Newt risked a quick glance behind him.

\---

Tina audibly sighed. The more she kept her eyes open, the more Newt walked further and further away with Dumbledore. Closing her eyes rewarded her a repeat viewing of her sister's defection. She quickly shook her head and turned to find Jacob staring off into the distance. He swayed slightly back and forth, seemingly in time to a song no one else could hear.

"Jacob?" Tina walked over to him and placed a hand on his shoulder. The swaying stopped, and he turned to her. His bloodshot eyes brimmed with fresh tears.

"Did you see her?" he whispered. He reached out and grabbed Tina's arm, squeezing hard. "Did you? Into the fire?"

Tina didn't flinch, but placed a hand over his. "Yes," she replied. He loosened his grasp, but kept his grip.

"Is this...my fault?"

"No, no, Jacob, no," Tina said. "I wonder if it's my fault, honestly." Tina turned away. "So many times I told her to stay away from you. I like you a lot Jacob - you already feel like family to me - but the law..."

"I know," Jacob said. He let go of her arm as the tears finally tipped over the edge. "I told her the same thing." His shoulders sagged, and he closed up his jacket as the fog rose up to meet them. "It's not your fault. She went to Paris to find you. If she was upset with you, she wouldn't have gone in the first place."

Tina placed the heel of her hands against her eyes, holding the river of emotions threatening to burst. She didn't have time to break down, not yet. She sniffed and said, "We'll get her back, I know we will."

Jacob smiled sadly. He grasped her arm again, this time gently.

"Tina. I have to tell you something."

"Of course, you can tell me anything."

He let go and said, "There are so many things I've wanted to tell Queenie." Jacob's bottom lip began to quiver; he coughed and smoothed out his jacket. "How much I like that her nose crinkles when she laughs, how I've thought about what our future children will look like. Now I don't know if I'll have that chance again." He closed his eyes and breathed deeply, his hands in fists, as he struggled to regain control.

Moments later, his eyes opened. Soft with despair only moments before, they were now hardened with purpose. "But you have a chance Tina."

Tina stepped back. "What?"

"With Newt. You have a chance to tell him how you feel."

Tina stared. Her instincts told her to turn around and flee in the opposite direction, but her feet were fixed as if covered in cement.

"He only has salamander eyes for you, you know."

"Oh." A shy smile appeared on Tina's face. "I didn't realize he told you about that."

"Told me about what?"

"Oh, I thought that he - wait, what are you talking about?"

"Wait a minute, did he - I told him not to tell you that!"

"Why did you - hold on, what did you two talk - ?"

"Nope!" Jacob threw his hands in the air. "I've already said too much." He took Tina's hands in his. "Look, what I mean is, if you ever had doubts about Newt's feelings for you - don't. And don't wait to say something until it's too late."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Next up, Newt and Dumbledore chat it up.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Newt and Dumbledore talk business.

Once inside, Dumbledore steered Newt away from the double doors leading to the dining hall and towards a long corridor lined with old tapestries and large paintings. Most of the artwork, Newt noticed, contained children laughing, running across large green fields, and throwing frisbees from one painting to another. Newt frowned at the two dimensional representation of happiness, a sharp contrast to the very real danger that surrounded them all. 

"This way Newt," Dumbledore motioned towards an unasuming door between two brown wall sconces. He opened it, and the pair walked in. 

Newt recognized the room as private break area for Hogwarts professors. Although small, it boasted an oversized and rather comfortable looking purple sofa, a wrought iron dining table, and what looked to be a blueprint of the school grounds on the wall. Newt thought he saw something move on the map, and leaned in to look closer. The parchment was littered with hundreds of dots, some stationary, some moving, each labeled with a name. Newt realized the map revealed the location of every person on campus. His eyes searched for the long outdoor walkway and saw where Tina, Jacob, and Theseus waited. 

"How about a spot of tea?" Dumbledore asked, flicking his wand to brew a pot before Newt answered. A tea set materialized out of a nearby cupboard and floated towards the table. The two men sat across from each other as the pot, still floating in the air, poured tea into each cup. The tea set, Dumbledor explained, was a gift from a Durmstrag professor that visited a few semesters prior. Newt sipped out of a cup decorated with a bright blue dragon that flew around the exterior, breathing flames to warm up the tea when it cooled.

The professor took a long sip and motioned to Newt. "Please. Tell me everything."

\---

After listening intently to Newt's rendition of the events in Paris, Dumbledore quietly stared into his cup. Newt gazed at the map on the wall, transfixed by its magical properties. He concluded that the dots that moved from one large location to another, and spent most of their time stationary, were students moving from one class to another, and sitting for lecture. The dots that remained in these large spaces were professors. So, in the time he waited for Dumbledore to speak, one class change had occured. Occasionally, there were a few dots that moved significantly faster than the rest. Newt was reminded of being chased by his brother almost every day after Potions. 

Newt cleared his throat. "Professor?"

"Yes? Oh, sorry Newt. Just thinking."

"Do you have any idea where he might go next?"

"I don't know." Dumbledore sighed. The blood pact's chain twisted around his hand, and he held it up so the charm dangled in front of them. "The thing is Newt, he's going to notice this is missing. And he'll probably realize that it was stolen."

"So you think he'll come here."

"Well why not? Wouldn't you?"

Newt nodded in agreement, eyes fixed on the pendant. Movement out of the corner of his eye drew his gaze back towards the magical map. "You might consider increasing security measures at the school. Maybe make it impossible to apparate on school grounds? Most of the people here aren't old enough do it anyway."

Dumbledore considered. "Good point." He placed the chain around his neck and fingered the pendant. "Newt, I suspect I'll need your assistance."

Newt's eyes narrowed. "With what, exactly?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure."

The response caught Newt off guard. "Oh. Well. Um. Just a reminder that you don't have to manipulate me to get my help."

The professor blinked and stood up. "Well, we probably shouldn't keep everyone else waiting. Let's go chat with the Ministry and form a plan." He put a hand on Newt's shoulder. "Thank you for being so honest with me about what happened."

"Yes, of course," Newt said. As he rose from his seat, the niffler scurried out of his pocket. Newt rolled his eyes and bent down to grab the magical creature, not noticing the newspaper cutout that had floated to the floor. Dumbledore picked it up.

"Who is this?" He asked as Newt righted himself, stuffing the niffler in his pocket.

Newt saw the photo clipping in the other's hand and remained silent.

Dumbledore smiled, noticing the blush on Newt's face while pretending to ignore it. "Ah, Tina Goldstein - she's the American auror you said was in Paris, right?"

"Yes, I met her when I was in New York. Tina's sister is Queenie, one of the wizards who went into the fire."

"Hmmm," Dumbledore said. He looked up at Newt. "But didn't you go to New York a year ago?"

Newt reached for the clipping, but the professor pulled it away from his grasp.

Dumbledore mouth turned up into a knowing smile. "How long have you have this Newt?"

Newt snatched the photo and stuffed it into his jacket.

"I guess a better question is, does Tina know how you feel?"

"Really, Dumbledore?"

"Yes, really," Dumbledore chuckled, eyes twinkling. "Maybe you two should discuss over a cup of tea?"

"Enough," Newt commanded, turning towards the door. "Call me when you've broken the pact."

"Newton." 

Newt turned around, startled at the professor's use of his full name. 

"I think the past few days have shown us how quickly things can change," Dumbledore said, fingering the charm around his neck, "and how terribly short our time is." He shrugged his shoulders. "Just a thought." 

The two men stared at each other for a few moments before Newt looked away, fiddling with the outer pocket of his coat. "I've been trying," he said quietly. "I'm just -- I'm not so good with people."

Dumbledore placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled. "I've got faith in you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Next up, Newt and Dumbledore reunite with the rest of the gang.


End file.
